


Blue

by sharkduck



Series: Primary Colors [2]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Amnesiac Apprentice, Double Entendre, Elias gets some sweet new threads, F/M, Some ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) suggestive themes, That aren't red
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 22:59:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharkduck/pseuds/sharkduck
Summary: Elias despises the color red -- unfortunately, it happens to bring out his eyes.





	Blue

Elias has lost count of how many days he's been at the palace, and he _still_ finds it awkward to be in Nadia's apartments unannounced and half-dressed. Still, he can't say that he dislikes it -- far to the contrary. Even if Nadia makes him a sputtering, stand-offish mess, she puts his mind at ease. And she doesn't look at the ink on his hand with any disdain. The silken bathrobes still need some time to get used to, however, as will the idea of standing there and allowing Nadia to smooth her fingers over his shoulders as she picks out clothes. He's gotten very good at artfully hiding the scowl that crosses his face when she pulls out yet another red garment for him to try on.

"Nadia, I have to tell you something," he toes at the warm water as he sits on the edge of the bath, the windows casting gilded late morning light across the alabaster marble all around them. Nadia hums, pulling out a sheer under shirt and a dark mahogany doublet with a plunging neckline. She holds it up for him to inspect, and the flush he feels on his face makes her giggle.

"This is a no then?"

"Definitely not. You know how I feel about the chest-exposing shirts."

"Oh, but you have such a nice figure!" He smiles wryly, used to her teasing by now.

"You should have seen me when I boxed-- ah," he's getting distracted, which would probably have saved him the trouble of making such an admittance, but he felt as though he'd be better for it down the line, "right. I have something to confess." Something about his tone gives Nadia pause, and she takes a brief moment to return the clothing to its proper place before kneeling beside him, hands folded primly in her lap.

"Yes?" He takes a moment to steel himself, and Nadia waits patiently.

"... I hate the color red." The look on Nadia's face makes Elias's chest hurt. But it's gone in a second, replaced with concern, of all things.

"You do? Goodness, and here I've been, dressing you in red from head to toe! That is a shame; it--"

"--brings out the color of my eyes? Yeah." He offers her a reassuring smile, and finds delight in the way her shoulders relax ever-so-slightly, "don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't appreciate it! Or you; I appreciate you _a lot_." Nadia hums, amused at his floundering double entendre.

"We do appreciate each other quite a bit, don't we?" She takes his hand, voice low and humming, running her fingertips over the designs inked into his skin -- some faded, others in stark contrast to the milky top of his palm. He feels anxiety rear its ugly head at the prospect of her asking him what they mean again; he's never told her outright, too ashamed of a past he doesn't fully remember yet. Every time she's asked him, he dances around the question until she's content to give up the chase for another day, still not satisfied with any of his answers. Nadia sighs through her nose and tangles her fingers in his, content to let that beast rest for now.

"Do you really despise the color red?"

"Yeah -- I have no idea why. Maybe it has something to do with these," he takes his free hand to tap his tattoos, "or something I don't remember yet. Or want to. I have a gut feeling that I'd rather forget the reason, but every time I see the color red I get-- disgusted? Unnerved? I don't know." He lets out a rattled breath of air he didn't know he was holding in, scooting across the marble to sit at Nadia's side, running the pad of his thumb across the top of her hand as he rests his head on her shoulder, marveling at the light speckling her skin. He can tell she's smiling without having to look up to see it.

"I see," she murmurs, "I am glad you told me, Elias. I only wish you had told me such sooner."

"That makes two of us. It's a stupid thing to keep from someone you care about," Nadia gives his hand a gentle squeeze, "but I guess I was just... afraid of disappointing you. Or making you angry. Particularly making you angry."

"Were you afraid I would force you into a beastly costume and make you run about the palace gardens?"

"Would you be chasing me? Because if that's the case I wouldn't be against the idea." Nadia's laughter sets his stomach aflutter, and she presses a chaste kiss to his temple, and he leans into her touch with no resistance.

"Perhaps later, my dear. For now, let us find something for you to wear -- what about blue?"


End file.
